Molasses will have the least effect because it is mostly flavor components and little sugar. Brown sugar is just white sugar sprayed with molasses and will dry your beer out just as much as regular table sugar.

Any kind of sugar will dry the beer out. You didn't say if it was an all grain recipe but you could mash higher to account for the sugar. I did this in a winter beer because I like the flavors candi syrup contributes but didn't want the beer bone dry. It worked the beer ended up at a decent final gravity.

A non-drying sub for clear candi sugar is to omit the candi sugar and brew with the rest of the ingredients. If you really want to maintain the same starting gravity, you can add more base malt or light extract. If you're subbing for dark candi sugar, Special B is probably the closest thing, but maybe not at the same quantities.

If you had some, a little malto-dextine would also increase the residual gravity/body to help offset the sugar addition. If the beer's big enough to start with, I'm not sure I'd worry all that much anyway.

"I'm kind of toasted. But I looked at my watch and it's only 6:30 so I can't stop drinking yet." - Yooper's Bob"Brown eye finally recovered after the abuse it endured in Ptown last weekend, but it took almost a full week." - Paulie"no, he just doesn't speak 'stupid'. i, however, am fluent...." - motobrewer"... I'll go both ways." - Melana